National Needlework Archive

General information

We have a flexible internal space which allows us to put on a wide range of exhibitions. We may have a retrospective of a particular renowned textile artist to exhibiting a small local textile group.
We show the work collected by particular professional bodies such as the Women's Institute, TocH or the Embroiderers Guild.
We provide space as part of ongoing initiatives seeking to bring together professional and public in order to generate a better understanding of the particular artist.
Many groups and organisations have used our venue to meet their programme needs.
In addition, we offer workshops and courses designed to develop the knowledge and skills of a wide range of textile techniques and related crafts.
The programme includes short workshops which act as an introduction to a particular aspect of needlework; embroidery, patchwork & quilting, smocking and many others.
Through to workshops or longer programmes which develop more complex skills and require a certain amount of familiarity with the tools and techniques employed. Our learning programme ranges from beginners to more advance techniques.

The Chapel is also home to the 'Country Wife' a textile picture 5 metres X 4 metres, created for the great 1951 'Festival of Britain'.
This work is being cleaned and conserved at the Centre and members of the public can view the work in progress.

The final part of the work carried out on site relates to the National Needlework Archive (NNA). The NNA keeps a documentray record of textiles located in the community throught the British Isles.
Here they record the type and age of textiles held organisations or private hands. The work may be from professional artists or ordinary individuals. In short, it is becoming the most comprehensive record of textiles providing information on the location, condition and back stories of people involved in the work.

Our library is growing by the week as people donate magazines and patterns along with their books and pamphlets. This is open only to Members of the Old Chapel Textile Centre or to identified students who use it for textile research.

Every year the centre holds a textile competition which is open to needleworkers across the country and culminates in the best submissions being exhibited.

We also have a tea room for light refreshments such as tea, filter coffee and home made cake. A small shop selling donated various fabrics, haberdashery, wool etc at very reasonable prices.